Dispensing apparatus



Jan. 15,A 1935. M. J. HoRKAvl 1,988,122

` DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed April 2v, 1954 AORNEY.'

Patented Jan. 15, 1935 Michael J. Horkavi, Gary, Ind., assignor, by direct andvmesne assignments, of one-fourth to William L. Evans, one-fourth'to Louis C. Christopher, and one-fourth to Michael S. Czolgosz, all

of Gary, Ind.

Application April 27, 1934, Serial No. 722,708

Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing apparatus and its principal object is to provide a simple, substantial and practical device for delivering flowing commodities, such as coiee, beans, rice,

5 sugar and the like, into a scoop in measured portions, whereby the measured commodity may beconveniently placed in a bag or other container.

Another object is to provide adjustment means whereby an attendant may readily set the measuring means accurately and may change the position of the same to vary the volume of the measured portion. v

Other objects and advantages will occur in the course of this specification and with said objects and advantages in view, this invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter fully set forth and claimed. A

The invention is clearly illustrated in the drawing accompanying this specification in which:

Fig. l is a vertical longitudinal section, partly in elevation, of a dispensing apparatus embodying a simple form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the scoop withdrawn;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 looking upwards;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a slide member 30 of the measuring element, illustrating the adjustment means therefor. l

Referring to said drawing, the reference char-` acter -designates a box-like container having a reservoir 6 in which the main lbulk of the commodity to be measured is contained, and 7 designates a box-like measuring compartmenty open at the top and having a reduced neck thereat providing a shoulder or ledge upon which the container 5 stands. A removable cover 8 is provided upon the container and in the lower end thereof is a hopper-like bottom 9 terminating in a discharge outlet 10, through which'the contents discharges bygravity from the reservoir.

Stationarily supported in the measuring compartment below the discharge opening 10, is a receptacle 11 forming a continuation of the reservoir. The receptacle has a top 12, bottom 13, side walls 14 and inclined end walls 15. In the top 12 of thev receptacle is an inlet opening 16, located directly below the discharge opening 10 of the reservoir, whereby a portion of the contents thereof may always ow into the receptacle in advance of being discharged into the scoop 20, as will be presently explained. The commodity in the receptacle is not subject to the variations of the weight of the material contained in the reservoir, consequently the portion of material discharged into the scoop at any given time, conforms accurately to the standard at which the adjustment is set. Conveniently a pair of supporting bars 12" are secured to the end walls of the measuring compartment and support the receptacle, the latter being provided with flanges 13 that rest on and are secured to the bars 12.

In the bottom of the receptacle at the lower ends of the inclined end walls thereof, is' a discharge opening 17 through which all or part of the material contained in the receptacle, discharges into the scoop. A slide 18 guided in ways 19 on the underside of the bottom wall ofthe receptacle, normally closes thel discharge opening 17 and keeps the contents from flowing out through the opening. A pair of coiled tension springs 35, se-

cured to the front end wall of the measuring compartment and to a cross-bar `36 fastened to the slide, act to move the slide into its closed poslide is moved backward, thereby uncovering the discharge opening of the receptacle and permitting the contents thereof to discharge into the scoop.

The adjustment means for the lug or shoulder 39 is shown as comprising a slide member 21 slidably mountedon flat strip 22 located below and parallel with the slide, and having upturned ends 23, 24 fastened to the slide.v The lug or shoulder 39 projects down from the slide member 21 into the path of movement of the front end 20u of the scoop. Projecting up from the slide member is a tongue 25 on which is secured a` nut 26, and projecting down from the slide is a lug27 through which extendsjthejrear end of `anw'adjustment screw 28, the other end of which extends through the nut 26 and tongue` 25 on *ther slide member and then through the, upturned end 23 of the strip 22, `where it is provided with a knob or handle 29 by which it isV manipulated. `The adjustment screw is held against lengthwise movement by the knob on one end and a cotter pin 30 on the other end.

It will be understood that by turning 'the screw in theproper direction the slide and therewith the lug or shoulder 39 thereon will be adjusted backwards or forwards as the case may be, so as to'increase or` decrease the distance which the slide is moved by the scoop when it is inlserted. By increasing the distance the slide is moved, a larger open space is left at the discharge opening of the receptacle, and by decreas- Y ftacle.

Vpredetermined amount of material.

ing the distance, a lesser open space is left. Consequently, more or less of the contents of the receptacle vare permitted to escape when Athe scoop is inserted. The discharge opening is narrower crosswise than the scoop and the scoop is considerably longer than the lengthof the opening, consequently the contents are free to discharge and spread out in the scoop until the pile or heap of material risesto the discharge opening and this determines the measured portion. In actual practice it has been observed that exactly the same quantity is received in the scoop each time that it is inserted.

A channel-like guideway 31 is provided in the measuring compartment for receiving and holding ,the.scoop. .The guideway has a bottom wall .32 and two side walls 32E that extendup above the .lower edges of the side walls of the recep- The guideway opens out through the front end wall of the measuring compartment :and is secured tothe front and rear walls thereof.

To lock the scoop in the guideway against the action of the springs, a flange 33 is provided on the front end wall below the opening to the guideway,.and the end wall .20b of the scoop is inserted between the front end wall and the ange when the scoop is fully inserted. A handle -34 on the end wall of the scoop furnishes means for `handling the latter. The opening to the guidewa-y is high enough to enable the outer end ,ofthe scoop to be lifted suiiiciently to raise its end wall 2()b above the top edge of the flange 33 in -lockingor unlocking the scoop.

' ,In'operation, when the scoop has been withdrawn, the Isprings draw the slide forward to its `,closed position, closing the discharge opening of the receptacle. When the scoop is being inserted into the guideway, its inner end encounters the ,lug or shoulder of the slide and forces the slide back, .uncovering the discharge opening and ,permitting a Vportionof the contents to discharge ,into the scoop. The material spreads out on the ,bottom of the scoop and piles up to ,the discharge opening, whereupon 4the r.flow of vthe material ceases. The size of the scoop, the distance between its bottom and the discharge opening, and the area of the discharge opening determine the Yexact amount of material which may discharge from the receptacle at one time. The scoop, when in the guideway, is always loaded with the When the scoop is withdrawn, the springs draw the slide forward until the shoulder thereof strikes the receptacle with theforward end of the slide entirelyclosing the discharge opening.

To regulate the portions of material dispensed, the attendant manipulates the adjustment screw, inserts the scoop, withdraws it and weighs the contents, and continues this ,operation until the exact predetermined amount is delivered.

.It is of course possible to dispense with the receptacle, as by making it a part of thereservoir, butmore accurate results are obtained by removing the weight of the bulk of the material from that portion which is contained adjacent the discharge opening.

It will be observed that the contents are always enclosed and not exposed until withdrawn. This keeps the contents fresh and in a sanitary condition.

Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. Dispensing apparatus comprising a container having a discharge opening, a slide for opening and closing said discharge opening, means for moving said slide to its closed position,

a guideway below said discharge opening, and

a scoop vinsertable into said guideway engageable with a member of said slide, whereby to move back the slide and thereby uncover said discharge 'opening,and co-acting means on the container and scoop for holding the latter in the guideway.

2. Dispensing apparatus comprising a con- -tainer having a discharge opening, a slide for opening and closing said discharge opening, resilient means for moving said slide to its closed position, a guideway below said discharge opening, a scoop insertable into said guideway and engageable with a member of said slide, whereby the latter is moved to open position when the scoop is inserted into the guideway and a predetermined `portion of the contents of the container iiow into `the scoop, and co-acting means on the container and scoop to hold the latter in the guideway against the action of the resilient means.

3. Dispensing apparatus comprising a reservoir having a discharge opening in its bottom, a receptacle below said opening `having an inlet opening through which a portion of the contents of the reservoir iiows into the receptacle, saidreceptacle having a discharge opening, a slide for opening and closing said discharge opening, resilientmeans for moving the vslide to its closed position, a guideway below lthe receptacle, and a scoop insertable into the guideway and engageable with a member lon the slide, whereby the latter is moved to its open position when the scoop is inserted -into the guideway and a predetermined portion of the contents of the receptacle flows into the scoop.

4. Dispensing apparatus comprising a container having a discharge opening, a slide for opening and closing.,T said discharge opening, a

.shoulder carried by the slide and adjustably lengthwise it the contents of the container to flow into the i scoop, and means to hold the scoop in the guide- `way against lthe kaction of vsaid resilient means.

5. Dispensing apparatus comprising a container having a discharge opening, a slide for opening and closing said discharge opening, a shoulder having a vslide member slidably carried by said slide, an adjustment screw rotatively mounted on the slide and threadedly engaged 'with the slide member, a guideway below thc discharge opening, and a scoop insertablc into the guideway and engageable with said shoulder whereby to move the slide into adjusted open position, permitting a variable predetermined portion of the contents of the container to flow into the scoop.

MICHAEL J. HORKAVI. 

